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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248737">X is for Xiphoid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbyrne/pseuds/coolbyrne'>coolbyrne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Alphabet Series [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:20:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248737</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbyrne/pseuds/coolbyrne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs is finding it hard to breathe without her. (Hinted Slibbs. Drabble)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Alphabet Series [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>X is for Xiphoid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The xiphoid bone is the spear tip-shaped bone attached at the base of your sternum. Because of the lack of protection it has, it's often broken during rigorous CPR attempts. I'm referencing the fantastic "Requiem" episode from season 5, when Tony gives Gibbs CPR after pulling him from the water.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had broken his xiphoid bone once, the result of Tony DiNozzo's frantic attempt to jump start his heart. Afterwards, it hurt to cough, hurt to laugh, hurt to goddamn breathe. He remembered it so well, his chest tight, the pain sharp that he reached up to touch the speartip bone, and the ghost memory sat beside him as he stared at the elephant painting. Back then, it had taken a week for him to heal, for him to fill his lungs. </p>
<p>It was over a month since she'd gone and he still hadn't been able to take a breath.</p>
<p>…..</p>
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